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Bigsby Spring (1 inch)

PostPosted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 3:03 pm
by Greg Butler
I need a 1 inch gold spring for my Gretsch Nashville Classic vibrato. The shorter spring that came with the guitar leaves the handle sitting too low over the pick guard. I've left messages with EMS and Blackrider to make an
inquiry, but have received no response so far. Do anyone have access to one of these that you'd be willing to sell or know of another possible supplier? Thanks.
Greg

Re: Bigsby Spring (1 inch)

PostPosted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 3:21 pm
by BillB
Elderly Instruments carries the Bigsby springs.

http://elderly.com/accessories/items/BTSG-L.htm

Bill B.

Re: Bigsby Spring (1 inch)

PostPosted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 3:42 pm
by Greg Butler
Bill,
Much thanks. Order placed.
Greg

Re: Bigsby Spring (1 inch)

PostPosted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 7:25 pm
by Mike Nye
A TEMPORARY solution is to use LEATHER CUP WASHERS as shims to compensate for a spring that has weakened with age.

Probably 95% of Bigsby's owners that I'd done this to opted to leave it alone, as the leather both QUITED & SMOOTHED it's action ! ! !

Re: Bigsby Spring (1 inch)

PostPosted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 9:23 pm
by Billy Anderson
I have the reverse problem. My W/H Bigsby seems to be a little too high for me to keep my little finger wrapped around it. It is about 1 3/4 -2 inches off the pickguard and I would like to lower it to about 1-1 1/4 instead. The handle holder is facing up at about an 11:00 position and the removable end of the handle is also facing up at about an 11:00 position two inches above the pickguard. Is there any way to adjust this without buying the shorter spring, and if so, how do you go about it? If not, is replacing the spring something I could do myself even though I have very little mechanical or electrical abilities? If this has been discussed before, I apologize. Thanks.

Re: Bigsby Spring (1 inch)

PostPosted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 10:28 pm
by Mike Nye
Billy Anderson wrote:I have the reverse problem. My W/H Bigsby seems to be a little too high for me to keep my little finger wrapped around it. It is about 1 3/4 -2 inches off the pickguard and I would like to lower it to about 1-1 1/4 instead. The handle holder is facing up at about an 11:00 position and the removable end of the handle is also facing up at about an 11:00 position two inches above the pickguard. Is there any way to adjust this without buying the shorter spring, and if so, how do you go about it? If not, is replacing the spring something I could do myself even though I have very little mechanical or electrical abilities? If this has been discussed before, I apologize. Thanks.


It's been awhile since I've been to Bigsby's web site, so I was completely taken by surprise when I just discovered their new complete parts price list with PICTURES of EVERYTHING except the main casting ! ! !

http://www.bigsbyguitars.com/vibe/wp-content/uploads/Bigsby-Parts-2010.pdf

Posting photos of your situation would help solve your concern, as there's NO WAY that anyone could know exactly what fix is BEST for your problem WITHOUT seeing anything. You may just need to BEND your wire handle to resolve your issue.

If you've already done that with NO positive results, ya might try this:

1. Measure the spring's INSTALLED LENGTH @ NORMAL PITCH
2. Loosen the strings
3. Remove the spring
4. Line a vice's jaws with a SOFT surface so as NOT to damage the spring's plating
5. Clamp the spring down to 75% of it's length taken from STEP ONE
6. Re-install the spring, and tune to NORMAL PITCH
7. REPEAT by INCREASING the clamping on the spring until you get it to YOUR LIKING

I've had some where I had to use a heat gun to dis-temper the spring to get the ABSOLUTE results I wanted

KEEP IN MIND that you can also ROTATE the wire handle to YOUR LIKING by loosening the 2 Allen setscrews that hold it in place . . .

Re: Bigsby Spring (1 inch)

PostPosted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 11:47 pm
by thenorm
Are you Sure the spring is seated in the sockets properly? (Hafta ask.) It's not hard to get the spring in there cockeyed and not be able to see it is not seated right.

Are you using extra light strings?

Re: Bigsby Spring (1 inch)

PostPosted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 12:00 am
by Billy Anderson
Thanks, Mike and TheNorm. As I said, I am mechanicall-challenged, but believe it or not, about an hour ago, I was looking at the unit thinking about taking a picture tomorrow and posting it when I noticed the two Allen holes on the side. Even my pea-sized brain hit upon the notion that maybe this thing could be moved around in some fashion. I am going to explore that tomorrow, and also try to post a picture. As for stings, I use D'Ads 11-49 with a wound third. We have a bad storm coming in right now so I will look at this tomorrow and see if I can play with it and do no damage. Thanks again. Gotta go or this HP may blow. Billy

Re: Bigsby Spring (1 inch)

PostPosted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 1:46 am
by thenorm
Strings aren't the problem then. As posted you can get a remarkable amount of adjustment by rotating the handle after you loosen the allen screws.

If the adjustment of the arm doesn't fix it it seems like your spring is either too long or it's not seated in the cups properly. Make sure there are no shims in the seat cups too.

Re: Bigsby Spring (1 inch)

PostPosted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 5:22 pm
by David Elliott
I had a similar problem years ago with the Bigsby (on a Gretsch Tennessean) and solved it by putting a couple of quarters (or maybe it was nickles!) in the little cup that holds the spring in place! Worked fine...

You might have to adjust that for inflation however! :lol:

David